Fatal Scandal: Book Eight of the Fatal Series (9 page)

“Following the leads.”

“Ugh, better you than me.”

“Thanks, you’re a pal.” She hung up to the sound of Archie’s laughter. “Everyone’s a comedian today.”

“You bring it out in us.”

“Did you find our guy?”

“I think so. Head north up the parkway.”

“I’d like to be on record as saying I’m doing this under extreme duress. Metro police do not go willingly to Baltimore for any reason other than good Italian food.”

“Unless potential murder suspects live there.”

“What you said.”

“Perhaps a delicious Italian lunch might be in our future?” he asked hopefully.

“You just ate breakfast.”

“That was hours ago, and I’m a growing boy.”

“While you’re busy growing, give our friends in the Baltimore PD a heads-up that we’re coming. See if our guy Hughes has a history with them and let them know we’d appreciate their backup.”

“But we don’t need their backup.”

“You know that, and I know that, but we still have to suck their dicks.”

“Ugh, Sam! For crap’s sake.”

“What’d I say?” The traffic came to a complete stop around the Route 32 exit for the National Security Agency. “Why? Why, why,
why
? Are the Caps playing up here too?”

He consulted his ever-present link to the outside world. “Nope, but the Ravens are playing at home today.”

“Motherfucker. I hate this day with the fiery passion of a thousand hemorrhoids.”

Freddie squirmed in his seat. “Ouch. That burns.”

Sam’s phone rang and she took the call because it gave her something to do besides ruminate on the wonders of traffic and hemorrhoids. “Holland.”

“Happy New Year, Mrs. Vice President.”

Sam nearly groaned out loud when she realized it was Darren Tabor from the
Washington Star
. Make that a million hemorrhoids. “What’d you want, Darren? I’m busy.”

“I heard. Caught a homicide this morning. Hell of a way to start the new year.”

“Just another day in paradise for us.”

“Also heard an interesting thing about the possibility of an inside job on this one?”

“What? What’re you talking about?”

“A source told me you’re looking at Gonzales in the murder of his baby mama.”

Sam almost drove off the road. “
What?
That is not true. Do you hear me, Darren? It’s categorically
untrue
. Gonzo is
not
a suspect.”

“Is it true your vic is his baby mama?”

“No comment.”

“Come
on
, Sam. You gotta give me something.”

“No, I don’t, and if you run with Gonzo as a suspect, I’ll sue your ass off and make sure he does too.”

“My source is solid on this.”

“More solid than I am as the commander in charge of the investigation of which you speak? And who is this so-called source of yours anyway?”

“You know I can’t tell you that.”

“Listen to me, Darren. Believe it or not, I think of you as one of the good guys in your field. If you print anything that even
hints
of Gonzo’s involvement in a homicide, I’ll make sure you never get another quote from any member of the Metro PD or any member of the vice president’s team. Am I clear on that? And if you think I can’t do it—”

“Ease up, Sam. I’m not going to run with it. For now anyway.”

“You better not run with it ever. You’ll be ruining the career and the life of a man who deserves better after taking a bullet in the line of duty and nearly dying a very short time ago. Remember that?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“And do you remember how I got you the very first exclusive interview with him after he was out of danger?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“You want those sorts of favors to dry up faster than a virgin’s vagina?”

“Oh my hell, Sam,” Freddie said with a groan that matched Darren’s on the other end of the phone. “That’s disgusting.”

“Did it get the point across?” she asked Darren while looking at Freddie, who scowled at her.

“You’re a piece of work, Mrs. Cappuano,” Darren said.

“I also better not see any mention of the VP’s wife talking about virgin’s vaginas in the paper.”

“And here I thought I was getting hungry for lunch,” Darren said. “Thanks for ruining my appetite and my story.”

“Happy to be of service. Don’t screw me over on this one, Darren. I’ve got a very long memory when it comes to people dicking with my team.”

“This is going to seem like a hideously horrible segue, but how’s Jeannie holding up with the trial coming soon?”

“That’s the worst segue in the history of bad segues, and I’m going to forget you asked it like that when I tell you she’s holding up fine, and she’ll hold up fine all the way through to sentencing for that son of a bitch who attacked her.”

“The trial’s gonna be a circus.”

“We’re fully aware of that.”

“When she’s ready to talk, you know how to find me.”

“I’ll keep you in mind, provided you stick to our deal on the Gonzo thing.”

“Will you call me when you’re ready to release the vic’s name?”

“If I can, I will. That’s all I’m giving you.”

“Good enough for now. Anything you want to say about the situation with the chief?”

Sam laughed and laughed and then laughed some more. “Behave yourself, Darren.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re worse than my mom.”

“On that note...” Sam slapped the phone shut. “Who in the hell is calling the fucking
press
and telling them we’ve got an inside job with
Gonzo
as our chief suspect in a
murder
?”

“What the hell is right.”

“Could you maybe, just this once, consider an actual swear word?”

“I just did.”

“
Hell
is not a swear!” Sam dialed HQ. “This is Lieutenant Holland. Put me through to the pit, please.”

“The what?”

“The Homicide Detectives’ Division,” Sam said sweetly, though she was seething on the inside.

“One moment, please.”

“Who trains these imbeciles who answer the phones?”

“Obviously not you.”

“Right? Because if I did at least they’d speak MPD basics.”

“Among other things.”

“What was that, Detective?”

“I was just saying how right you are, Lieutenant.”

“Thought so. Why isn’t anyone answering the goddamn phone?” She hung up and redialed. “Chief Farnsworth, please.”

“Who’s calling, please?”

“Lieutenant Holland.”

“Oh, yes, of course. Let me put you right through. And may I say congrat—”

“If you want to keep your job, don’t say it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Is this what the new year is going to be like? Because I gotta say, I’m not digging it so far.” The line clicked before the chief came on the line. “Holland?”

“Yes, sir. I got a curious call from Darren Tabor, who seemed to know an awful lot about who our victim is and how she was related to Gonzo. In fact, he said Gonzo is rumored to be our top suspect when that is not at all true.”

“How the hell did he get all that?”

“That’s what I’d like to know. He said it came from inside MPD.”

“After what went down with Stahl, no way is anyone here going to be stupid enough to use our phones to make calls to the media.”

“He didn’t say the call came from inside HQ. He said the source was from inside.”

“Any thoughts on who it might be?”

“Normally I’d say Stahl, but he’s been on best behavior since he somehow managed to post bond to get out of lockup until his trial. And I’d still like to know how he got the dough for that.”

“As would I.”

“Ramsey in SVU has something up his ass with my name on it.”

“That’s a lovely visual, Lieutenant.”

“He told me to fuck off just this morning, in fact. I reported it to Davidson, not that he’ll do anything about it.”

“He really told you to fuck off? Over what?”

“I believe I said good morning to him. It was an unprovoked attack.”

“What’ve you done in the past to warrant his enmity?”

“I’ve been my usual charming self with him. I had a minute with Erica Lucas after I talked to Davidson, and she inferred there’s some info to be had there. We’re going to do coffee.”

“While you do coffee, I’ll have a word with Ramsey and see if he’s our leaker.”

“Don’t let on that I told you anything.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“How’s it going with Public Affairs?”

“Like having a root canal without the drugs.”

Sam grimaced at the exhaustion she heard in his voice. “Listen, your little mouse outside the door, what’s her name?”

“Do you mean Helen, my admin?”

Helen!
That was it. “Yeah, her.”

“And you wonder why you’re always pissing people off.”

“I don’t actually wonder.”

He grunted out a laugh. “What about her?”

“She’s worried about you. Doesn’t like your color. Gotta say I agree with her. You’re looking a little gray around the edges.”

“Got a few things on my mind.”

“Look, I know you’re a big boy and can take care of yourself, but you’ll be no good to us if you go down physically over this. First of all, that scumbag Springer isn’t worth risking your health, and second of all, well, I don’t have a second of all other than we all need you healthy. Will you see someone? Please?”

“Marti has been after me about the same thing,” he said of his wife. “I’ll make an appointment.”

“You’ll do it now? After we hang up?”

“Yes, Sam! I said I’d do it. Now, where are you?”

“Sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way to Baltimore, of all places.”

“What the hell for?”

“A lead on the Phillips case. She met a guy online who lives there. We’re trying to piece together her final days without cell or computer data to work from yet.”

“All right. Keep me posted. Have you heard from Hill yet?”

“No. Should I have?”

“He’s been called in. Expect a call from him.”

“Oh, joy. This day just gets better all the time.”

Freddie’s phone rang, and he took the call after glancing at the caller ID.

“I gotta get back to the meeting with Public Affairs,” Farnsworth said. “In case I forgot to tell you, good thinking earlier on getting out there with our side of the story. I’ve been in hunker-down mode, but you’re right that the public needs to hear from me.”

“I’m usually right. That’s what Nick says.”

“Jesus. I walked right into that one. Keep me in the loop on Phillips.”

“I will. Call the doctor. Bye.” Satisfied she’d made her point and kept her promise to Helen, she slapped the phone closed. See, that right there was why she’d never get a smartphone. You couldn’t slap them closed.

Chapter Nine

“What do you mean he
hit
you?” Freddie was saying, his voice tense. He remained rigidly still as he listened. “So he just punched you? For no reason?” After some more listening, he said, “Call it into MPD or I’ll do it for you. Want me to do it?” A short pause. “Yes, Elin! It’s a crime when someone punches you in the face. And you also need to be seen at the ER. Can someone take you?”

Sam gave him a questioning look.

“She broke up a fight at the gym, and some guy punched her.”

“I can call it in.”

He held up a finger, telling her to wait a minute. “Did someone call the cops and rescue?” he asked. “All right. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’m outside of Baltimore right now, so it’ll be a little while. You’re sure you’re okay?” He rested his head on his hand, which was propped on the car door. “Yeah, baby. I love you. Sorry you got hurt. I’ll get there soon.” He ended the call and held the phone in a tight grip.

“She’s okay?”

“She says she is, but I can tell she’s been crying.”

“I’ll get you to her as soon as possible.”

Nodding, he stared out the window at the sea of traffic standing between them and the city.

“Did you get through to Baltimore PD?”

“Yeah, they’ve had eyes on the guy’s place for a while now. They aren’t sure if he’s into drugs or hookers.”

“Fabulous. Warrant?”

“They’re willing to get it for us if they can have in on the search.”

“Of course they want in.”

“We would too.”

“Does that wonder phone of yours know any back routes into the city?”

He seemed relieved to have something to do besides worry about his injured girlfriend. After a couple of minutes of intense typing, he instructed her to take the next exit. Twenty anxious minutes later, they pulled onto Hughes’s street in the Fells Point section of Baltimore, where they spent ten more minutes looking for a place to park.

“I used to love to come drinking up here in the summer,” Sam said. “One of my college friends was from here. Those were some good times.”

Freddie took a look around at the quaint area. “I don’t think I’ve ever been here before.”

“Not much of a party animal, are you?” she asked as they got out of the car.

“Not then and not now.”

“You ever just want to bust loose and go wild?”

“How do you know I don’t?” he asked.

“Right. Your idea of wild is sex after church.” His usual snappy comeback was stifled by his worries over Elin. “She’s going to be all right, you know. She was talking and crying and mad. Those are all good things.”

“I hate that I’m all the way up here when she needs me.”

“You’ll be with her soon enough.” Sam wrapped her scarf around her neck. “How is it colder up here than it is in D.C.?”

“We’re right by the Inner Harbor. Wind is colder off the water.”

Different shades of brick distinguished the townhouses where Liam Hughes lived. “I wouldn’t get lost as easily here.”

Rather than run with the softball she tossed him, Freddie only nodded. His mind was elsewhere, but Sam didn’t blame him for that. She’d be freaking out if Nick had gotten hurt when she couldn’t get to him.

They knocked on the door several times, but no one answered.

“Great,” Freddie said. “We came all the way up here for nothing.”

“Let’s check with the neighbors to see if they know where he is.”

Sam took the unit on the left side of Liam’s while Freddie took the right. A young woman with a baby on her hip came to the door. Sam showed her badge. “Wondering if you can tell us where your neighbor might be—Liam Hughes?”

“Who knows? He keeps strange hours. He’s up all night with music thumping and then he sleeps all day. We had to move the baby’s room to the other side of the house because his music was waking her up.”

“So you’ve had words with him?”

“As few as possible. We’re not exactly what you’d call friends. He’s got people—women mostly—in and out of there at all times of the day and night. My husband thinks he’s a pimp. We love to speculate on what goes on in there.”

“Would you mind if I wrote down your name and number in case I have follow-up questions?”

“Sure, no problem.”

Sam met Freddie back out on the street, where he had a similar report from the neighbor on the other side—lots of parties, lots of women and loud music. “The guy sounds like a tool.” She glanced at her partner. “I know you want to get back to the District, but I’d like to hang out for a short time to see if he comes back.”

“What’s a short time?”

“An hour max?”

Freddie grimaced but then nodded. “Okay.”

“Sorry.”

“Not your fault.” He glanced at his phone as they returned to the car. “Hey, what do you know? We’ve got a warrant out for Hughes. Nonpayment of child support.”

“Excellent. Let’s hope little daddy comes home so we can arrest his ass for that and then ask him some questions about his friend Lori.”

“I need some food.” Freddie gestured to a sub shop at the other end of the block. “You care if I run down there really quick?”

She pulled a ten from her wallet. “Get me a veggie something or other and a water.”

“Got it. Be right back.” He jogged off down the street while Sam got comfortable in the driver’s seat of her car.

She fired off a text to Nick.
Well here I am spending New Year’s Day on a stakeout in Baltimore. Didn’t see my year starting this way.

He wrote right back.
What’re you doing way up there?

Freddie had a hankering for Italian—ha! Following a lead, what else? Did you deal with my “situation” yet?

Making some calls. Don’t worry about it. I got you covered.

Thank you. Sorry to be a lousy second lady.

As long as you continue to put out on a regular basis, you’re the best second lady ever.

Ha-ha, sex fiend. What if the Secret Service is monitoring your texts?

They’re only monitoring my official phone. This one is personal. Did you see the shit on the news about Gonzo being a suspect?

WHAT?!?

It was all over CBC. You didn’t know?

NO!!! OMG! Gotta go deal with this. TTYL

Sorry, babe. Hang in there. Love you.

Love you too.

Sam placed a call to HQ, asked for the chief and was told he was in a meeting. “Helen, it’s Lieutenant Holland. I need to speak to him right now. It’s urgent.”

“Please hold.”

Sam was forced to listen to the ridiculous light rock that served as the hold music. Nothing said badass cop shop quite like a little light rock. They needed Bon Jovi to liven things up. She’d bring that up at the next department meeting. As she waited for the chief, a man came walking down the street from the far corner. His eyes darted nervously around as he headed for the door she was watching.

She threw down the phone and got out of the car, crossing the street so she would meet him at the stairs that led to his townhouse. She flashed her badge. “Mr. Hughes? Lieutenant Holland, Metro PD, Washington, D.C. I have a few questions I’d like to ask you.”

At the sight of her badge, he turned and bolted back the way he’d come.

Swearing under her breath, Sam took off after him. Didn’t these idiots know that nothing said, “I’m guilty of something,” quite like running from cops? She dug in and caught up to him two blocks from where they’d started. Grabbing the hood of his sweatshirt, she pulled hard and brought him down onto the sidewalk. She went down with him, landing hard on her right knee.

She planted her left knee in his back and had him cuffed within seconds.

“What the fuck? I didn’t do anything! You can’t just tackle me like that and arrest me.”

“Oh no? Looks like I just did. And if you didn’t do anything, why’d you run?”

Freddie came around the corner a minute later, looking slightly undone by the sight of her on the ground with their guy. “I leave you for ten minutes, and you manage to find trouble.”

“Trouble finds me. Detective Cruz, meet Liam Hughes.”

“I’d say pleased to meet you,” Freddie said, “but you don’t seem too pleased.”

“I’m going to sue your asses off for this,” Hughes said, straining against the cuffs.

“Then I ought to tell you that you have the right to remain silent,” Sam said. “Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” After she’d recited the Miranda warning, Freddie dragged Hughes up off the sidewalk and escorted him to the car. “And PS, dirtbag, you can’t sue our asses off when you’re wanted for failure to pay child support.”

“I don’t owe that bitch nothing. That kid ain’t mine.”

“Tell it to the judge.”

Sam limped along behind him, her knee throbbing from the direct hit to the sidewalk. Every muscle in her body was on fire from the sprint, proof that the gym might actually be a resolution worth making before she lost her edge. At thirty-five, the old gray mare wasn’t what she used to be.

After Freddie had tossed Hughes into the back of the car, he turned to her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, smacked my knee and wore myself out, but otherwise, I’m fine.”

“Want me to drive?”

She tossed him the keys. “I won’t say no to that.” On the passenger seat, she found the bag of food he’d left there before coming after her. “Glad to see you protected the food.”

“Of course I did. God knows when you’ll give me another chance to eat.”

“So when faced with the dilemma of going after your partner who was possibly in over her head, you saw to the sandwiches first? Good to know where I rate.”

“This can’t possibly be news to you after all this time.”

“I want a lawyer,” Hughes said from the backseat.

“Shut the fuck up,” Sam said as she took a huge bite of her sandwich, wishing it was full of meatballs rather than vegetables. “We should check in with Baltimore so they don’t get pissy with us for making a grab in their city.”

“I’ll do it.” Somehow he managed to eat, drive and make the call to the Baltimore PD’s Homicide Division to let them know an investigation had led to an arrest in their city.

Professional courtesy and all that happy horseshit. Sam got sick and tired of playing nicey-nice with all the fragile egos involved in police work. God forbid they should step foot in someone else’s turf without letting them know. Then she remembered the call she’d been on when she saw Hughes coming and the reason for it.

“They’re going to give us a heads-up when the warrant comes through. They’re trying to track down a judge. Holiday,” he said over a mouthful of sandwich.

“We got trouble,” she told him. “CBC is reporting Gonzo is our chief suspect in the murder of his baby mama.”

“What? What the hell?”

“
Fuck
is the word you’re looking for there. Who knows? Apparently our leaker didn’t just go to Darren, and now he’ll be pissed with me because someone else scooped him.” So many egos, so little time. She placed another call to the chief.

“I was able to interrupt him once,” Helen said in a testy tone. “But I can’t do it again.”

“I was off chasing down a suspect in a homicide investigation.”

“Homicide!” Hughes said from the backseat. “
What the fuck?
I didn’t kill no one.”

Sam ignored him. “I really need to talk to the chief. It’s a life-and-death situation.” While that might not be entirely true, Gonzo’s life and career were certainly on the line and well worth fighting for.

“Please hold, and please be there when he comes on the line.”

As soon as the line clicked over to hold, Sam said, “Gee, Helen, I thought we were pals. I’m feeling hurt by your attitude.”

“You did not say that to her,” Freddie said, his mouth full of what might’ve been chicken parm. Sam’s mouth watered at the thought of it.

“Nope. I said it to the hideous light rock that serves as hold music at our workplace.”

“That stuff is pretty bad.”

“I’ve got someone wailing about endless love in my ear as we speak.”

“Damn, Gonzo must be flipping out.”

“Maybe he doesn’t know yet.” As she said the words, her phone rang with another call. A check of the caller ID revealed Gonzo’s number. “He knows. Call him, will you? Tell him we’re doing what we can to contain this shit.” Sam knew as well as Gonzo would that the accusation alone would be enough to damage his sterling reputation and possibly ruin his career. Naturally, that was the goal of whoever had the audacity to leak lies about the investigation.

“Holland?” the chief barked when he came on the line. “Are you there this time?”

“Sorry about before. I was apprehending a suspect in the Phillips case.”

“What Phillips case?” Hughes asked. “Are you talking about Lori? I barely know her! What’s she done?”

Sam nodded to Freddie, who took a turn telling Hughes to shut up.

“We’ve got a problem. CBC is broadcasting that Gonzo is our suspect.”

“Motherfucker,” Farnsworth muttered, echoing Sam’s thoughts.

“Our leaker has been busy. Any leads yet on who it might be?”

As they drove through the congested city, Sam could hear Freddie trying to talk Gonzo off a cliff.

“Conklin is up talking to Ramsey now. Haven’t heard anything yet though. I’m stuck in this meeting with the Public Affairs hacks who think they know better than I do about how to represent this department.”

“Can’t you fire them and get new hacks?”

“I wish it were that easy,” he said with a bitter chuckle. “I’d better get back in there. We’re making plans for a big blitz starting tomorrow morning.”

“Anything I can do? You know I hate every single thing about the notoriety, but if it’ll help, I’d gladly go out there with you to show my support.”

“Interesting that you should offer. The PAO said I should ask you, and I refused to.”

“How come?”

“Just like you don’t embrace the notoriety, I don’t embrace the idea of asking you to use it on my behalf.”

“It may as well be good for something other than a total pain in my ass.”

Farnsworth laughed at her choice of words. “How do you feel about being on TV at seven in the morning?”

“I feel good about it. Great, in fact. Let me know where to be, and I’m all yours.”